Key holder



Nov. 8, 1960 A. REUGE KEY HOLDER Filed Aug. 11, 1955 INVENTOR Allwert Rea/ye, BY MM,M

ATTORNEYS United States Patent KEY HOLDER Albert Reuge, 21 Rue des Rasses, Sainte-Croix, Switzerland Filed Aug. 11, 1955, Ser. No. 527,788

Claims priority, application Switzerland Aug. 14, 1954 1 Claim. (Cl. 84-95) The present invention relates to a key holder which comprises a casing containing a spring driven musical device actuated by positioning the key holder properly.

The device will be more fully understood by reference to the following specification and the accompanying drawing which shows a plan view, partially in section of the key holder according to the invention.

In the embodiment shown in the figure the casing 1 contains a spring driven musical movement M. This comprises a spring driven driving mechanism 48 having a winding pinion 69. The mechanism 48 drives a rotatable drum 49 with pins 50 thereon. The pins 50 cooperate with a musical comb 51 to produce the music. Gearing 52 connects the driving mechanism with a regulator 72. The casing is provided with a socket 65 to take the key 66, which is a sliding fit in the socket. The end of the key entering the casing has a rounded surface or head 67, which acts on the serrated sector 68, this engaging with the teeth of the pinion 69 mounted on the spindle of the spring of the driving mechanism 48. This key holder is equipped with a device to interrupt the musical movement, the device comprising a member 70, slideably mounted on an inclined pin fixed in the casing, the member 70 then serving to lock the regulator 72 of the musical movement. The interlocking position of the member 70 is indicated by the broken lines, the regulator being free to operate when the member 70 is in the position shown in the full lines. This device operates in the following manner:

The key 66 (for instance the contact key of a car) is inserted in the lock and turned to obtain contact, the key is here supposed to be in the vertical position. In this Patented Nov. 8, 1960 ice position the key and also the casing 1 is in a vertical plane, so that the member will be in the position indicated by the broken lines, the movement of the regulator is locked, so that the musical movement is prevented from moving. By turning the key through degrees, so that the key and easing are in the horizontal plane, this position of the key corresponding to the interruption of contact in the car, the member 70 will slide back into the full line position, the regulator is now free to rotate and the musical movement will operate, this also is a signal for the key to be withdrawn from the lock in the car. In this embodiment of the key holder the Winding of the musical movement is effected in the following way:

The key 66 is inserted into the casing 1, the rounded surface 67 of the key acts on the serrated sector 68 cansing it to pivot about its pivot point, the teeth of the sector 68 engage with the teeth of the pinion 69 of the winding mechanism of the musical movement, which is thus wound up.

What I claim is:

A key holder comprising a casing having a musical mechanism therein having a spring driven driving mechanism, a cylinder driven by said spring driven mechanism and carrying pins, a musical comb with which said pins cooperate and a winding pinion for winding said driving mechanism, and a socket fixed to said casing, a key slidable in said socket when it is pushed into the casing, a toothed sector pivoted in said casing against which the key bears, said sector being meshed with said winding pinion, a stop member, and an inclined rod on which said stop member is slidably mounted, the stop member blocking the musical mechanism when the casing is in one position and being free to slide on said rod when the casing is pivoted around its longitudinal axis to another position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,209,691 Fraser July 30, 1940 2,252,289 Kind et a1. Aug. 12, 1941 2,745,244 Friedle May 15, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 6,778 Switzerland June 15, 1893 139,868 Switzerland July 16, 1930 161,889 Switzerland Aug. 1, 1933 295,435 Switzerland Mar. 1, 1954 

